Publication information |
Source: St. Louis Republic Source type: newspaper Document type: editorial Document title: “To Protect the President” Author(s): anonymous City of publication: St. Louis, Missouri Date of publication: 24 March 1902 Volume number: 94 Issue number: 267 Pagination: 4 |
Citation |
“To Protect the President.” St. Louis Republic 24 Mar. 1902 v94n267: p. 4. |
Transcription |
full text |
Keywords |
McKinley assassination (government response); presidents (protection); anarchism (government response); anarchism (dealing with). |
Named persons |
Leon Czolgosz; William McKinley. |
Document |
To Protect the President
There should be a very general satisfaction
that the United States Senate has been able to pass without amendment the bill
providing for the protection of the President, this action following an exceptionally
full and free discussion of the measure.
The assassination of the late President McKinley
by the anarchist Czolgosz was the originating cause of the bill now just passed.
The Czolgosz crime, instigated by the mouthings of anarchists who have unhappily
been permitted to establish themselves in this country, revealed the truth that
Americans need to throw additional safeguards around the life of the American
who stands as the foremost representative of government, law and order.
There was a reluctance on the part of the American
people to believe that the life of the President was now continually imperiled
through the fact of the murder cult of anarchy having rooted itself in American
soil. But the teaching of Czolgosz’s deed was too plain to be misunderstood.
The imported anarchist is a living figure in American life. He makes no discrimination
between this free and kindly Government and the oppressive systems of Europe.
He is moved to assassinate an American President exactly as if this chosen servant
of the people stood for the tyranny of monarchical institutions.
The bill for the protection of the President of
the United States should be promptly enacted into law. The precautions for which
it provides are now necessary, deplore the fact as we may. And, following the
enactment of this law, and an increased stringency in our immigration laws,
there should also be enacted a law especially aimed at anarchists and effectively
framed to prevent anarchy from flourishing under a Government of the people
by the people for the people.